Biophysical performance indicators for secondary resources reveal positive effects at the community level in La Rinconada Marine Reserve (Antofagasta, Chile), SE Pacific Ocean
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2025
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Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso
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. Direct evaluations of the main resource Argopecten purpuratus and its accompanying benthic
fauna developed between 1999 and 2013 in La Rinconada Marine Reserve (Antofagasta, northern Chile)
confirmed the presence of two subsystems made up of different species that cohabit with the principal resource
(designated SS1 and SS2). SS1 has a medium and fine sand substrate with a coverage of over 80% at the center
of the red algae Rhodymenia corallina. In addition to the primary resource, the scallop A. purpuratus, we also
found secondary resources such as Thaisella chocolata, Romaleon setosum, and, under ENSO conditions,
Octopus mimus recruits. In SS2, which runs parallel to the coastline, coarser substrates are observed, mainly
shells and quartzite gravel mixed with fine and medium sand areas occupied by the bivalves Transennella
pannosa and Tagelus dombeii. Our results show that anthropogenic activities have not affected the abundance
and size structure of secondary resources in SS1 and density and size structure in SS2, evidencing a permanent
pre-recruitment of organisms. The information generated in this study can complement the current criteria
applied to assess the performance of this reserve by accounting for the state of the main commercial resource of
interest (A. purpuratus). We also discuss the benefits of a more integrative methodology that evaluates the
benthic community and the ecosystem based on a conservation and management approach. An inventory of the
recorded species in the marine reserve is also provided for the first time and may constitute a baseline for future
studies
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Argopecten purpuratus, scallop, benthos, biotic indicators, northern Chile